History

The Denver omelet, also called the western omelet, dates to the railroad-construction camps of the 1880s along the Union Pacific and Denver and Rio Grande lines. Cowboys and Chinese railroad cooks combined cured ham, peppers and onions into a sandwich filling that became the western sandwich, then folded inside eggs by the 1920s diners. The dish kept the city's name as it spread nationally through diner chains in the 1950s. Denver versions at Sam's No. 3, Pete's Kitchen and Snooze use the original folded form, not the spread-flat souffle style.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes that match this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Eggs, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 1Hands-on 15 minTotal 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 60g diced cooked ham
  • 1/2 small green bell pepper, diced 5mm
  • 1/2 small white onion, diced 5mm
  • 30g shredded cheddar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Sweat onion and green pepper in 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat, 4 minutes. Add ham, cook 2 minutes more. Tip onto a plate.
  2. Beat eggs with water, salt and pepper. Melt remaining butter in a 25cm non-stick pan over medium-low heat, until just foaming.
  3. Pour in the eggs. Tilt the pan and use a spatula to push the set edges toward the centre, letting raw egg flow underneath, 60 seconds.
  4. When the top is still glossy, scatter the ham mixture and cheese over one half.
  5. Fold the bare half over the filling. Slide onto a plate seam down. Serve with toast and hash browns.

Tip from the editors. Do not over-cook. The eggs continue setting after you fold. A glossy interior on the plate means it will be tender, not rubbery.

Where to eat denver omelet

Denver omelet in Denver

Sam's No. 3 ★ 4.2

$$ American dinerUntil Daily until 24:00 (later on weekends)

Sam's No. 3 in Denver is the 1927 Greek-American diner downtown, with a kitchen that runs to midnight and slopper burgers, smothered burritos and Denver.

OrderSlopper burger smothered in green chile.

TipAurora location runs late. The downtown spot fills up after Rockies and Nuggets games; expect a wait at 11 pm.

Directions

Pete's Kitchen ★ 4.4

$$ American dinerUntil 24 hours Fri-Sat; 21:00 Sun-Thu

Pete's Kitchen in Denver is the Contos family's East Colfax Greek-American diner, running 24 hours Friday and Saturday nights for burritos and gyros.

OrderSmothered green chile breakfast burrito at 2 am on a weekend.

TipThe kitchen runs all night on Friday and Saturday only; the rest of the week it closes at 9 pm, so check the day before a late-night run.

Directions

Snooze A.M. Eatery ★ 4.3

$$ $13-22BrunchBreakfast all day

Snooze A.M. Eatery in Denver is Jon Schlegel's modern brunch flagship on Larimer since 2006, with pancake flights, breakfast pot pie and a 90-minute weekend.

OrderSweet potato pancakes and the pancake flight.

Directions

Lucile's Creole Cafe ★ 4.1

$$ $11-18BrunchCajun-Creole brunch

Lucile's Creole Cafe in Denver is the Logan Street Cajun-Creole brunch room since 1997, with eggs Sardou, beignets and a strong cafe au lait pour.

OrderEggs Sardou and a basket of beignets.

Directions

All Denver signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want denver omelet covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →